If it consoles you any, I wear elastic waistband jeans every day...and I'm not pregnant, just fat! Ha!

I went through my whole pregnancy last time completely mortified to be in maternity clothes. And I'm mortified all over again. Luckily, I don't have to go to an office. But I have 3 big events coming up in which I will need to dress up, and the thought of having to buy maternity dresses or elastic waistband slacks completely depresses me. I don't think you ever get over it.
At least there's a light at the end of the tunnel. A very, very looooong tunnel.

Do not start wearing official maternity clothes unless or until you have to.

If you can get away with elastic waistbands or yoga pants and Chris's shirts, I say do it.

Maternity clothes are vile and ugly and you seem to be small enough that you could bypass them altogether.

Even if you do HAVE to wear them by the last trimester, don't go that route any sooner than you have to.

You will be so sick of those clothes by the end that you will want to burn them.

On the other hand, some of the shorts they have are not too terrible once you get past that tummy panel.

Oh, this gives me a great idea for horrifying my blog readers. A picture of me in my WORST maternity outfit. Unless I've burned it. Which may be true. Or it was so bad it spontaneously combusted. Also possible.

Anyway, back to you. You CANNOT wear shirts that are just L or XL. Please don't. The shoulders will simply drag on the floor and your boobs will look all funny, and someone might say you look chimpish. No one wants that.

This topic has been the source of many tears for me. I am a self-conscious person to begin with...give me clothes that scream "I'm getting huge!" and I all but break down. I have decided that the moment to start maternity TOPS is when you cannot wear medium or large shirts anymore b/c the shoulders and chest are so sloppy looking. At least with maternity shirts, you still seem slim up top. I am still wearing tons of black pants and buying jeans in bigger sizes. Maternity pants just make my ass look bigger than it is. No reason to add insult to injury, I digress. Finally.

Not sure why, but I've always found women in maternity clothes to be very attractive.

I'm with Angela Marie, don't opt for men shirts since it'll just make you look sloppy. If you can't find any maternity clothes you like, you could probably pull off the yoga pants, with a nice blouse and blazer, just get it a few sizes larger than you'd normally wear. Personally, I think one of the most beautiful things ever is a pregnant tummy, I say show it off! :)

if i buy you a mumu would you wear it. that would be so hot!

Totally love my maternity clothes but maybe that's because I work for a pregnancy website. But they are so comfy. And function over fashion is winning big time here.

I say wear them if your regular clothes are uncomfortable. You don't want to squash Lima Bean.

Believe it or not there are some cute maternity clothes out there. I don't know where they are because I never owned any...but I've seen them on others. I guess you just have to be really good at shopping. :0)

Girl, I wore maternity clothes from, like, day 1! I was so excited that I couldn't help myself, that and the fact that I gained a bunch of weight right off the bat and had to.

They make some really neat maternity clothes now. There are still a bunch of things with polka dots and bows and cutesy prints (what IS up with that???) but Pea In The Pod makes some great suits and work wear that don't make you look like you're trying to relive your toddler years in cutesy stuff. Motherwear makes some nice things too, in a little more affordable price range too.

Okay, I just went to the Motherwear site and realized it's for AFTER the baby for breastfeeding. Still some neat clothes but just not maternity.

Tricia... I was thinking the same thing!! HAHAH

Whew... being fat ROCKS!

They have cute maternity clothes now, I'm sure you look fetching. IMO if you're out of elastic band pants by the time your kid is two, you're doing great.

The thing is, the maternity clothes are going to be WAY more comfortable for you than trying to force Lima Bean in something not made for him/her. Do what you've got to do to make your misery less. You'll have plenty of it in the months to come, so why force more upon yourself?

Beth, what the heck are you waiting for? Get yourself over to the sites that have been mentioned and celebrate your beautiful pregnant self!

japaneseweekend.com
apeainthepod.com
babystyle.com
onehotmama.com

I agree that a pregnant tummy is gorgeous. Just yesterday there was a pregnant mama at the park with a cute little skirt tucked under her exposed belly, topped with a layered t-shirt and a pair of flip flops. She looked beautiful and very sexy.

If you are having this argument with yourself:

"Self, it seems ridiculous to spend money on clothes I'm going to probably wear all of six months...especailly when I could instead buy more Pooh stuff for Lima Bean's growing wardrobe"

Allow me to interrupt. Check out ebay. Cruise around and see what you can get for a steal and at the same time realize you can turn around and sell your stuff post pregnancy thereby assuring that you look and feel gorgeous and when it's all said and done, you will get some of your cash back to buy Lima Bean that to die for Pooh sleeper.

Repeat after me, NO UGLY MATERNITY CLOTHES!

OK, I know that when you talk to yourself, you do so with the correct spelling...e-s-p-e-c-i-a-l-l-y, especially.

Maternity clothese have gotten way better. Anyway, just wear what makes you comfy. No one has to know about the elastic parts (except you just told!)

I never ever wore maternity clothes. I simply went shopping for regular clothes with large enough elastic waist bands to accomodate any size of belly, any stage of pregnancy and after. I wore regular clothes with elastic during and after all of mine. So, I have no idea about showing up to work in maternity clothes the first time...sorry!

I've never been pregnant but I've seen some really decent maternity clothes. I bet you just need to find the right store.

There's definitely some nice maternity clothes out there. Seems like money's not too huge of an issue for you, so I bet you can find some great stuff :) I browed around apeainthepod.com for fun...some nice stuff.

A friend of mine really loved her overall's when she was pregnate...I know you can't wear those to work....but she said they were really comfortable

wearing maternity for the first time is such a traumatic experience.

i'm going through the exact same thing right now. but, i bought a really great jean skirt that is maternity but has no paneling or anything, so you can't tell it's maternity, and it's way more comfy than squeezing my growing belly into anything else (except for sweats...but i can't wear those to work)

my mother was here over the weekend and bought me some really awesome maternity clothing...i'm trying to decide when i should officially start wearing them...

I wore my yoga pants and a stretchy Michael Stars maternity shirt when I wasn't at work (I worked in a stuffy corporate place) all through my pregnancy. If you can get away with it, I say go for it.

As for the peeing, I wouldn't worry about the fetus peeing in you. Just wait until the first time you change a diaper and he/she pees ON you!!!!

If you really want to go all the way with this you need the height of gaudy. You need one of those shirts that has the word BABY plastered across the chest with an arrow pointing down.

If you need one I believe my friend still has one, he used to wear it just to freak people out. See he had a bit of a beer belly and when he wore the shirt it actually looke as though he were pregnant.

Let me tell you, there is nothing like going to the mall with a slightly overweight redneck wearing a maternity shirt...

Nothing!

whatever you do, stay away from terry-towel tube tops in pastel ;)

oohhh nooooo. there's no going back now.